Lycanthropes
The Lycanthropes are a savage and mysterious Space Marine Chapter created during the 21st 'Cursed' Founding from unknown lineage. This chapter of Adeptus Astartes teeters on the edge of the Ordo Astartes' tolerance. Brutal and mindlessly violent on the battlefield, they have garnered a grim reputation of carnage and bloody retribution. With no planet to call their own the Lycanthropes are an insular chapter, their offerings of the enemies blood made both to their unknown Primarch (many theorising it to be Leman Russ) and the God-Emperor. Chapter History Born during the 21st 'cursed' founding the Lycanthropes were doomed to a dark and treacherous existence from the start. The first record of the Lycanthropes came shortly after the Age of Apostasy. Many worlds that were known to still be clinging to the mad commands of Goge Vandire were found brutally annihilated, populations butchered, worlds turned into blood-drenched charnel houses and the mauled rotting corpses of the planetary governors, cardinals and other officials who aided the mad high-lord were strung up and left to rot, often with a simple monolith of metal placed in the center of this carnage each one bearing the message 'The Hunt has judged the unworthy and the Moonborn have carried out the sentence. We are punishment, we are death.' Chapter Homeworld Due to their nature as a fleet-based chapter the Lycanthropes have no homeworld to call their own. Instead they recruit from the most harsh and vicious environments that they find in their travels with feral and prison worlds being the most frequently used. Chapter Recruitment When the Lycanthropes select a world as their current recruiting ground they contact the rulers of the planet, requesting that they be allowed to recruit there, once the permission is given several squads of marines are deployed to the planet's most savage areas under cover of night. With the deployment of the astartes a single order is issued 'Prey on the strong.' As soon as the order is given the world becomes a terrifying hunting ground, the night itself permanently ingrained in the psyche of the planet, for when the Lycanthropes arrive the world descends into terrified anarchy for the sparsely equipped marines that were sent to the world simply slaughter the warriors until one shows sufficient bravery and strength whereupon he is knocked unconscious and taken (according to the horrified survivors) by the shadowed iron wolf-men. Notable Campaigns *'The Coming of the Cyclops (Unknown Date) -'''In the depths of the warp Magnus the Red, fell Primarch of the Thousand Sons, heard tell of the Lycanthropes and their relation to Leman Russ; incensed beyond belief that his hated rival had descendants bearing his gene-seed (no matter how mutated) was unconscionable to the Crimson King so, gathering up a massive host of rubric marines and sorcerers assaulted the Lycanthropes fleet, in a savage battle that nearly annihilated the Chapter, the Lord of Sortiarius rampaged through the ''Jürgensburg slaughtering any descendant of Russ who crossed his path. In desperation the chapter master at the time unleashed the Wulfen and Úlfhednar on the daemon Primarch. Finally Magnus found himself unable to continue his rampage, the ravenous tide of howling mutants stopped him. Before he could unleash his full psychic might on these mad beasts the Úlfhednar were finally revealed amongst the tide. This discovery sent the Crimson King roaring with maniacal laughter, in an instant he and his forces had vanished, leaving only the few surviving Lycanthropes standing, baffled as to what madness had taken the servants of Tzeentch. Many savants believe that Magnus spared the chapter as an insult to their Fenrisian rivals, a constant reminder of the Space Wolves failure to create stable successors. Gene-Seed Lycanthrope's gene-seed is a perfect example of the Twenty First Founding; flawed and rife with deficiencies both mental and physical. The many acolytes of Imperial history who subscribe to the theory that the Lycanthropes were created in an attempt to bring the Curse of the Wulfen under control are supported by the apparent effects of time on the chapter. As a Lycanthrope ages he becomes more and more bestial, his features gradually mutate, his movement becomes more a loping predatory gait and his mind becomes more savage and animalistic until as those of the inquisition and other chapters believe; he fully degenerates into a Wulfen. How rapidly these changes take to fully manifest appear to depend on the Astarte’s force of will, the current chapter master: Fenrisúlfr Vseslav has managed the longest tenure in his position without appearing to fall to the feral madness of his chapter. Chapter Organisation Officer Ranks Specialist Ranks * The Úlfhednar-''' Though only rumoured and fearfully whispered in the halls of the Ordo Astartes the Úlfhednar are a truly terrifying foe; Wulfen the size of primaris marines, each one a predatory monster bent on hunting their foes like prey and savagely mauling them to death. These feral monsters are regarded with reverence but also slight pity for each and every one of their number is a former chapter master. In the long history of the Lycanthropes not a single chapter master has died, all have so far degenerated into the massive beasts known as the Úlfhednar, Fenrisúlfr Vseslav; current chapter master whilst showing them the respect of their former station sees these particular Wulfen in an unpleasant, somewhat fearful light seeing them as a grim future to avoid. ' Line Ranks Chapter Command Headquarters Companies Combat Doctrine Chapter Beliefs Where the Space Wolves see the Curse of the Wulfen as a dark, more unpleasant aspect of their nature as sons of Leman Russ, something to be brought to heel and controlled the Lycanthropes glory in it. In a manner disturbingly similar to the Thousand Sons of old the Lycanthropes see the unfortunate effects of the Canis Helix as a great power and, though dangerous should be used whenever possible, organizing into cults or 'Hunts' as the chapter calls them, each skilled in a different manipulation of the dark curse. Despite their pride in the Curse the Lycanthropes are well aware of the Imperium's attitudes towards mutants and astartes of the 21st founding; whenever the chapter comes to the aid of another Imperial force there appears to be an alarming tendency for their allies to either suffer horrendous casualties or, rather more disturbingly be rather brutally mind-scrubbed of anything other than the fact the Lycanthropes saved them. Rather interestingly the chapter appear to believe their purpose is something akin to both their (rumoured) progenitor the Space Wolves and the Night Lords of old. They see their deployment as a punishment, when the Lycanthropes make war they do so with a merciless and unrelenting murderous ferocity that has led many to call for both their censure and outright liquidation of the chapter. Deathwatch Service While the Lycanthropes do send over their required number of brothers off for service in the Ordo Xenos, it appears that the two institutions have a rather sinister deal. Lycanthropes have a shorter than average service in the Deathwatch, with many being returned to the chapter under mysterious circumstances. Those who believe that the Lycanthropes are descendants of the Space Wolves believe that many have been returned as Wulfen. Notable Chapter Space Marines * '''Fenrisúlfr Vseslav' ' '- * Chapter Relics *''Feral Aegis'' - Worn by the current Chapter Master this armour truly lives up to its name; a savage and animalistic looking totems including a wolf pelt cape and the skull of a great wolf (rumours abound that this skull was claimed in an honour-duel against a Jarl of the Space Wolves when the founder of the chapter brutally butchered the defeated Commander's fenrisian wolf companions as an insult to the marine's honour. Bound in these dark trophies the Feral Aegis appears to give its wearer a wild and brutish strength even when compared to the increase in prowess granted by standard power armour. Chapter Fleet The Lycanthropes have a very extensive fleet despite the small size of the chapter including a rather astounding five battle barges. Due to their lack of a homeworld the chapter's fleet is geared towards self-sufficiency; even when compared to other chapters the Lycanthropes are able to undergo extensive independent operations (possibly due to the large amount of Wulfen mutants the chapter supposedly has, as sneeringly noted by the Marines Malevolent): *''Jürgensburg'' (Battle Barge) *''Wild Huntsman'' (Battle Barge) *''Volsunga'' (Battle Barge) *'Bitter Mercy (Battle Barge)' *'Moon Claw'' (Battle Barge)' Chapter Appearance Chapter Colours The Lycanthropes have a single primary color with details in two different colours; ice blue covering the torso, arms, legs, helm and backpack, the helmets also have a stripe blood red down the middle of their helmets and the pauldrons are blood red with a black trim. Like their suspected progenitors the Lycanthropes cover themselves in tribal markings and runes, each one believed to allow them to tap into their wulfen powers without any dangers. Chapter Badge The Lycanthropes Chapter icon is a black and white coloured, stylised rendition of a moon with three claw marks torn into it. Chapter Relations ''Feel free to add your own Allies Feel free to add your own Enemies *'Thousand Sons' *'The Unforgiven' *'Space Wolves' *'Marines Malevolent' Notable Quotes Feel free to add your own By Your Chapter Feel free to add your own About Your Chapter Category:Fleet-Based Chapters Category:Imperium Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:Unknown Geneseed Category:21st Founding Category:Glorious Mongoose